Amazing Spider-Man (Vol. 1) #227

Background

Spider-Marn and the Black Cat have been doing their Tom & Jerry routine since they first met. Though they are on opposite sides of the law, neither one of them can deny the attraction they feel for each other. Wanting to win the web-swinger's heart, Black Cat offers to give up her career as a cat burglar. Things that sound too good to be true usually are and Spidey is going to be reminded of this the hard way.

Story 'Going' Straight!'

We begin our story with Spider-Man making his way to the Midtown police department. Seems he has a tiff with the latest Bugle headline. No, he isn't being slammed by the press (again). He has a beef with Captain DelWolf about Black Cat's name being omitted from the story where she and Spidey broke up the gang from the underworld costume ball last issue. The reason Capain DelWolf left Cat's name out of the story is because she's a criminal and with Spidey's hit or miss rep with the cops, she doesn't think he can afford to have his name connected to Cat. Spidey pleads with her to give Cat a chance but after thinking he's failed to convince her, he leaves. After some thinking, the Captain makes a phone call to the District Attorney.

Spidey meets up with Felicia at her apartment. All is going well until she mentiones pulling one last job so they'll be well off financially. After Spidey just tried to get her in good with the law, this pushes Spidey's red button. The argument is brief and within seconds they make up. Cat does express desire to see Spidey's face someday and to know more about him. He knows that if he's going to get serious with Cat, he'll have to honor her wishes on this. They agree to meet up later on at night. Cat is left wonder if just love is enough to satisfy her.

Later, Cat has grabbed the "Quest's End" with ease and on her way out, she runs into the object of her affections. Spidey dropped by Cat's place earlier and she wasn't there, but her plans for the heist were practically a road map to where she'd gone. When they go to put the statue back, the alarm goes off and they get trapped inside. She thinks no one will ever think good of her so she decides to stick with being a Cat Burglar and it seems she didn't think twice about dragging webs along for the ride since he's already got a sketchy rep. To make matters worse, the new owners of the statue aren't pleased with Cat's actions and are more than willing to waste her along with Spidey. After avoiding some gunfire, Spidey manages to make them an exit but because Cat is trying to get the statue, Spidey gets shot in the leg pushing her out of the way. Even with his handicap, Spidey proves he can still hold his own and takes down every hood in the room.

It isn't easy to keep up with Cat with his leg injured and Cat knows it. She gives him the slip and makes her escape on a stolen motorcycle. Moving towards the docks, Spidey tags the bike with a web line, sending Felecia flying. She runs away with minor injuries. Seeing a boat, she prepares to board it but she forgot about Spider-Man's webbing. With her all tied up, there's no where else for her to run. They exchange apologies and Cat says she prefers death to prison, leaping into the river. Spidey dives in after her, coming up for air occasionally, but his wounded leg is really slowing him up. After a while, he just accept what's happened. After a medic tends to Spidey's leg, Captain DelWolf gives him some papers from the D.A.'s office. Turns out they were willing to grant the Cat amnesty. DelWolf regrets the papers didn't get to him sooner, then maybe all of this could have been avoided. Spidey asks to be left alone and he chucks the papers into the river.

General Comments

The ending here is a direct contrast to last issue's conclusion. In the previous issue, Spidey got a happy ending, here, not so much.

I liked how Roger Stern dealt with DelWolf's uneasiness of Black Cat being linked to Spider-Man and questioning what to do on the matter. It would have been so easy to just have her be against Cat 100% but she was willing to give her a chance on Spidey's behalf.

The old saying "Old habits die hard" is certainly reinforced here because it's oh so true. Be it stealing, gambling, drugs, old habits and addictions are not that easy to kick. Felicia's actions nearly got her and Spider-Man killed. Of course not everyone knew at the time that Black Cat was dead, but I'm sure it shook more than a few readers up.

Overall Rating

Uncle Rog does it again!